Find More Time in Your Day by Planning for Toddlers
Time is precious. For homeschool moms, how we spend our time can make or break our days… our months… our years. Do you want to find more time in your day? Well, to find more time you must first identify time wasters. Susie is a fictional homeschool mom who has some pretty common things happen in her day. Our fictional Susie has three children. Her oldest is nearly 10 and doing Heart of Dakota’s (HOD’s) Creation to Christ. Susie’s next child is six and doing Beyond Little Hearts for His Glory. Finally, Susie has a toddler who is 2 1/2 years-old. As you read Susie’s story below, see if you can help Susie find more time in her day…
Helping Susie Find More Time in Her Day
Susie didn’t need a morning alarm because her toddler Kenny was her alarm. Every day Kenny would barrel into her room whenever he awoke. Sometimes it was 5 AM and sometimes it was 8 AM. Whenever Kenny was up, Susie was up and her day began. Today her “Kenny alarm” woke her up at 6 AM. Susie shuffled to the coffee maker to make herself a strong cup. After setting out some toys on the living room floor for Kenny, Susie sat down at the kitchen table to try to have her Bible Quiet Time. Kenny was a real go-getter though, and after throwing the toys all over the living room floor and knocking over a lamp, he headed to the bottom kitchen drawer full of glass bowls. Susie leaped up just in time to save Kenny from a near disaster. She decided she might as well feed Kenny. Hmmm. What should she feed Kenny? Moreover, what was Kenny going to do all day? Susie’s and Kenny’s day seemed to stretch long before them. How would Susie find the time to teach her other two children?Â
Do you see some ways Susie can find more time in her day? Toddlers are wonderful little blessings, aren’t they? They are a great part of our day as homeschool moms; however, if we don’t plan for our toddlers, they can take over our entire family’s day. Kenny cannot be Susie’s alarm. Rather, Kenny needs some new morning habits. Habit training does not need to be complicated! Toddlers do dictate the day somewhat, but good habits and routines make a world of difference.
Find More Time by Habit Training and by Setting Routines
“Good morning starts” to homeschool days begin by what the toddler does the day and night before. Kenny may need an active/expend-some-real-energy time sometime after his afternoon nap, a bath and a book reading to wind down before bed, and a set time to go to bed. According to Mayo Clinic, toddlers need about 9 to 13 hours of nighttime sleep, and 1 to 3 hours of naptime. Kenny’s bedtime and nap routines can be adjusted to fit Kenny well, while also being adjusted to fit the rest of the family’s homeschooling well.
Likewise, Kenny needs some safe child-proofed places to be, as well as a day planned with a variety of activities. Older siblings can enjoy playtimes with Kenny. “Recess” can be another altogether, active playtime. Educational videos, happy music, rotating tubs of toys, snack time, high chair time, lunch and a fairly set nap time can also be part of the plan for Kenny (and everyone else) to have a happy day. Little Hands to Heaven (started half-speed) can be a planned special time for Susie with Kenny. With a little forethought planning, habit training, and routine building, Kenny will soon be on his way to a better day, and Susie will soon be on her way to finding more time in her day to homeschool!
How I Could Find More Time by Planning for My 2 1/2 Year-Old Toddler
I looked back to my 2009-2010 homeschool schedule. Emmett was 2 1/2, Riley was 6, and Wyatt was 9 1/2. Here was my simple morning to nap plan for my toddler Emmett…
- 7:15 AM: With me
- 7:30 AM: Breakfast (follow menu)
- 7:45 AM: Outside playing with Wyatt and Riley while they do chores
- 8 AM:Â “School” with me (rotating ideas)
- 8:15:Â Educational video in special chair with special blanket (in gated, child-proofed room)
- 9 AM:Â Play with Wyatt
- 9:30 AM:Â Play with Riley
- 10 AM:Â Snack in high chair; then Lakeshore activities with me at table, coloring
- 10:45 AM:Â Half-speed school with me (Little Hands to Heaven 15 minutes), then playing in child-proofed entryway (15 minutes)
- 11:15 AM:Â Emmett plays out on main floor (Riley’s video choice on; Emmett can watch or just play)
- 12 PM:Â Set out toys for Emmett (alternate types of toys each day)
- 12:30 PM:Â Pick up toys. Lunch in high chair.
- 1:00 PM:Â Play out as we clean up lunch and pick up house
- 1:30 PM:Â Recess
- 2 PM: Nap
If you want to see how I found time to teach my two olders, check out my whole schedule by clicking here!
If you have a toddler, I hope this post can help you find more time in your day to homeschool your olders!
In Christ,
Julie
